Carpet-stretcher



Patented Sept. 27, |898. C. J. WAGNER.

CARPET STHETCHER. (Application led July 3, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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Nrrn STATES FFClL..

CHARLES J. WAGNER, AOF ALMA, MISSOURI.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFlCAZLION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,344, dated September 27, 1898. Application led July 3, 1897- Seral No. 643,438. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES J. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alma, in the county of Lafayette andState of Missouri, have invented a new. and useful Carpet- Stretcher, of which the following is a speciication.

The invention relates to improvements in carpet-stretchers.

rlhe object of the present invention is to improve the construction of carpet-stretchers and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one capable of easy manipulation and adapted to enable a carpet to be rapidly stretched without injuring the same.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a wire stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional -view of the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the carpet-engagin g head, Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modiiied form of head. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner ot' mounting the lever. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the bearing brackets or supports. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective View of the pivot y of the lever.

Like numerals'of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

l designates a xnain bar, to which is slidingly connected an extensible stretcher-bar 2, carrying a transverse carpet-engaging head 3. The sliding connection between the bars l and 2 is effected by means of a pair of oppositely-disposed loops fl and 5, each secured to one of said bars and receiving and forming a guide for the other.

The bar l, which is stationary during the stretching operation, carries a longitudinal rack bar 6, which is provided with teeth formed by depressions and having shoulders at one end and bevel-faces at the other. The ratchet-bar 6 is engaged by an actuatingpawl 7, pivotally connected between its ends to an operating-lever 8, which is fulcrumed `pivot lO of the operating-lever.

on brackets or supports 9, secured to the side edges of the extensible bar 2. The brackets or supports '9, which are substantially inverted-V shaped, are provided at their apeXes with bearing-recesses receiving a transverse The bearing-recesses are provided with narrow entrance portions, and the bearing portions at the terminals of the pivot are recessed at one side to permit them to be readily introduced into the bearing-recesses when the lever is arranged in substantially a horizontal position. When the lever is in its operative position, the full diameter of the journal portions of the pivot is disposed transversely of the entrance slots or portions of the recesses, so that there is no liability of the lever becoming accidentally unshipped during the stretching operation.

`The lever, which is preferably provided at its engaging end with a sleeve or ferrule 8,

has a bifurcation in which the actuating-pawl 7 is pivoted, and the said pawl is adapted to` engage the teeth or depressions of the ratchetbar and obtains a firm hold on the latter to enable the extension-bar 2 to be forced outward by the operating-lever in stretching a carpet. The ferrule or sleeve 8a is provided at the inner side of the bifurcation with an extension 8b, which projects beyond the lever and is adapted to engage the rear end of the actuating-pawl 7. The pawl 7 is pivoted between its ends in the bifurcation, and its rear end,which is recessed, as shown, is adapted to be engaged by the said extension 8b, whereby when ,the lever is swung backward sufficiently to carry the extension 8" into contact with the pawl the latter will be lifted out of engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar. The loop 5 is provided with integral perforated ears, formed by cutting the top of the loop and bending the severed portions vertically, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. By oscillating the operating-lever the stretching-bar is gradually advanced until the carpet is stretched to the desired extent.

The head 3, which engages the carpet, consists of a transverse bar or piece provided with teeth or projections, and it may be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 4L of the accompanying drawings or as shown in Fig. 5, ac-

IOO

cording to the character of the carpet to be stretched. The inner edge of the head 3 is recessed to receive the end of the stretchingbar 2, and it is detachably secured to the same by means of a plate l2, which is perforated for the reception of screws or other suitable fastening devices. The ngers 13 of the head 3 are formed integral with a plate 14, while the fingers or projections of the head 3 consist of separate pieces embedded in and proj ecting from the head and supported by a faceplate. The latter construction is stronger than the former and is adapted for operating on the heavier class of carpets.

A series of hinged bars 15, which are adapted to fold on each other, are connected with the inner end of the bar 1 by a hinge 16 and with each otherby a hinge 17. Any number of the bars 15 may be employed, so that the carpet-stretcher may obtain a bearing against the Wall at one side of the room while stretching the carpet at the opposite side. The bars may be folded on each other when the device is not in use and also to shorten it to t a smaller room. l

This invention has the following advantages: The carpet-stretcher is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, it is adjustable by means of the folding bars to fit rooms of different sizes, and it is adapted to be readily extended to stretch a carpet to the desired extent.

/Vhat I claim is- 1. A carpet-stretcher comprising a main bar, a rack-bar arranged on the upper face of the main bar and provided with depressions forming teeth, an eXtensible stretching-bar slidingly connected with the main bar, brackets mounted on the extensible bar, a lever fulcrumed on the bracket and having its lower end bifurcated and provided at the rear side of the bifurcation with an extension, an actuating-pawl pivoted between its ends in the bifurcation of the lever, the rear end of the pawl being arranged to be engaged by the said extension, whereby the lever is adapted to lift the pawl out of engagement with the rackbar, and a check-pawl, substantially as described.

2. A carpet -stretcher comprising a main bar provided with ratchet-teeth, a sliding stretching-bar provided with a carpet-engaging head, the oppositely-disposed loops 4t and 5 connecting the main bar and the stretchingbar, the loop 5 being provided with integral ears formed by cutting the loop and bending the severed portions upward, a check-pawl pivoted between the perforated ears and engagin g the ratchet-teeth, the brackets secured to the sliding bar at opposite sides thereof, and an operating-lever fulcrumed on the brackets and provided with a pawl for engaging thel ratchet-teeth, whereby the sliding bar is actuated, substantially as described.

3. A carpet-stretcher comprising a main bar provided with ratchet-teeth, an extensible stretching-bar slidingly connected with the main bar, brackets rigidly mounted on the extensible bar and provided with bearingopenings having entrance-slots narrower than the bearing-openings, an operating-lever provided with a transverse pivot 10, recessed at opposite sides to pass through the entranceslots of the brackets, whereby the lever is detachably fulcrumed thereon, an actuatingpawl carried by the lever, and a check-pawl, substantially as described.

4. A carpet-stretcher comprising a main rack-bar, an extensible stretching-bar slidingly connected with the main bar, a lever fulcrumed on the extensible bar and provided at its lower end with a bifurcation and having an extension at the rear side of the bifurcation, an actuating-pawl pivoted between its ends in the bifurcation of the lever, the rear end of the pawl being arranged to be engaged by the said extension, whereby the lever is adapted to lift the pawl out of engage- CI'IAS. J. WAGNER.

Witnesses:

P. H. KOPPENBRINK, J. CHAs. HERRLING. 

